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PeakMetrics / Fact Checks

Health & medicine fact checks

Explore claims publishers have checked about health & medicine. Read their original ratings and follow the evidence.

13,666 published reviews in this topic

日本ファクトチェックセンターHealth & medicine

新型コロナワクチンで寿命が短くなる

Publisher’s rating: 根拠不明

The review examined posts claiming that data showed a 30-year-old who received three COVID-19 vaccine doses would live only until age 55. It notes that vaccination had begun only about four years earlier, making data on the person’s life 25 years later impossible, and that the video cited in support did not identify a paper or other research source.

First CheckHealth & medicine

Black coffee can treat fatty liver

Publisher’s rating: Misleading. While black coffee may offer some liver-protective benefits, it cannot “dissolve fat” or cure fatty liver disease on its own.

The review says coffee may offer some liver benefits, but it is not a standalone treatment for fatty liver. It emphasizes that management still requires dietary changes, regular exercise, and medical supervision.

FACTLYHealth & medicine

The father of Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, saved a young Winston Churchill from drowning. In gratitude, Churchill’s father paid for Fleming’s education. Later on, Fleming’s penicillin saved Winston Churchill’s life from pneumonia.

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

FACTLY concludes that the story is fictional and says there is no historical evidence that Fleming or his father saved Churchill or that Lord Randolph Churchill paid for Fleming’s education. It also reports that Churchill was treated with sulfa drugs, not penicillin, during his illness. [S1: “There is no historical evidence to support the claim that Alexander Fleming or his father saved Churchill’s life.”] [S1: “Churchill’s official biographers and medical records indicate that he was treated with sulfa drugs (sulphonamides), not penicillin, during his illness.”]

First CheckHealth & medicine

Lack of sleep can cause the brain to “eat itself”

Publisher’s rating: Misleading. While sleep deprivation could lead brain disorder including Alzheimer’s, ‘brain eating itself’ is an oversimplification

The review says the claim is based on a 2017 study of mice, which found increased activity in brain cells involved in clearing damaged neurons and waste, including greater removal of synapses in sleep-deprived mice. It says this process is not the brain literally consuming itself, and notes that more research is needed to confirm long-term effects in humans.

First CheckHealth & medicine

Menstrual products, such as sanitary pads, can cause infections and even lead to potentially fatal toxic shock syndrome.

Publisher’s rating: Sanitary pads are not associated with toxic shock syndrome. Maintaining proper menstrual hygiene is the only guarantee against bacterial infection of the vagina.

The review distinguishes sanitary pads from internal menstrual products, stating that toxic shock syndrome is linked to products inserted into the vagina, not external protection such as pads. It also notes that improper pad use or infrequent changing may cause irritation or infection, while proper menstrual hygiene can help reduce risks.

Medical DialoguesHealth & medicine

Can walking on Karela (Bitter Gourd) Cure Diabetes?

Publisher’s rating: The claim by the user is FALSE.

The review says there is no scientific evidence that walking in bitter-gourd water treats or cures diabetes; research it discusses concerns consuming bitter gourd, not applying it topically. It explains that diabetes has no cure and that management relies on evidence-based care, including healthy eating, exercise, and medication when needed.